Adrian Smith (basketball) facts for kids
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| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||
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| Born | October 5, 1936 Farmington, Kentucky, U.S. |
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| Died | April 28, 2026 (aged 89) | |||||||||||||||||||
| High school | Farmington, Kentucky, U.S. | |||||||||||||||||||
| Listed height | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) | |||||||||||||||||||
| Listed weight | 180 lb (82 kg) | |||||||||||||||||||
| Career information | ||||||||||||||||||||
| College |
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| NBA Draft | 1958 / Round: 15 / Pick: 85th overall | |||||||||||||||||||
| Selected by the Cincinnati Royals | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Pro career | 1961–1972 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Career history | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 1959–1960 | USAF All-Stars | |||||||||||||||||||
| 1961 | Akron Goodyear Wingfoots | |||||||||||||||||||
| 1961–1969 | Cincinnati Royals | |||||||||||||||||||
| 1969–1971 | San Francisco Warriors | |||||||||||||||||||
| 1971–1972 | Virginia Squires | |||||||||||||||||||
| Career highlights and awards | ||||||||||||||||||||
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| Career NBA and ABA statistics | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Points | 8,750 (11.3 ppg) | |||||||||||||||||||
| Rebounds | 1,626 (2.1 rpg) | |||||||||||||||||||
| Assists | 1,739 (2.3 apg) | |||||||||||||||||||
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Medals
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Adrian Howard "Odie" Smith (born October 5, 1936, died April 28, 2026) was a talented American professional basketball player. He was known for his amazing shooting skills and for winning an Olympic gold medal.
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Adrian Smith's Early Life
Adrian Smith, also known as "Odie," grew up in Farmington, Kentucky. He was one of six children. His family lived in a farmhouse without electricity or indoor plumbing. Imagine that!
When Adrian was a kid, he went to a small, three-room school. His family didn't have money for a real basketball. So, his clever mom made him one by rolling up his dad's socks! That's how he first learned to shoot hoops.
Adrian almost didn't play basketball in high school. But his principal and coach made sure he could get a ride home after practice. This ride was seven miles long! After high school, he hoped for a college scholarship. He received one offer, but he missed the deadline to accept it.
College Basketball Journey
Adrian started his college basketball career at Northeast Mississippi Junior College. He played so well there that his coach told the famous University of Kentucky coach, Adolph Rupp, about him. Soon, Adrian received a scholarship to play for Kentucky!
At Kentucky, Adrian didn't play much at first. But when a star player got sick, Adrian stepped up. He scored many points in those games. In his final year, he became a starter.
His team, the Kentucky Wildcats, was called the "Fiddlin' Five." They won the national championship in 1958! Adrian played an important role in their victory. He scored seven points in the championship game. After college, Adrian earned a degree in business.
After College: Olympic Gold!
After college, Adrian was chosen by the Cincinnati Royals in the 1958 NBA draft. But he was picked in the 15th round, which is quite late.
Instead of joining the Royals right away, Adrian joined the U.S. Army. He played on the Army's All-Star team. In 1960, he was chosen for the U.S. Olympic basketball team.
This team was incredible! They won the gold medal at the 1960 Olympics in Rome, Italy. They didn't lose a single game. Adrian even led the team in scoring in their first game against Italy. Many future basketball legends were on that team.
Before starting his NBA career, Adrian also played for a team called the Akron Goodyear Wingfoots in 1961.
Adrian's Professional Basketball Career
Playing for the Cincinnati Royals
Adrian Smith officially started his NBA career with the Cincinnati Royals in 1961. For his first few years, he was a backup player. He played alongside famous players like Oscar Robertson.
By his fourth season, Adrian became a starter for the Royals. He played more minutes and scored more points. His best season was 1965-1966. He scored a career-high 18.4 points per game. He even scored 34 and 35 points in two different games against the Boston Celtics!
During that amazing season, Adrian was chosen for the 1966 NBA All-Star Game. Even though many famous players were there, Adrian was named the Most Valuable Player (MVP)! He scored 24 points in just 26 minutes. As a prize for being MVP, he won a brand new Ford Galaxie car!
Adrian also led the NBA in free throw percentage in 1966-1967. He made over 90% of his free throws that year. He played many games for the Royals before moving to another team.
Time with the San Francisco Warriors
In the 1969-1970 season, Adrian was traded to the San Francisco Warriors. He played for them for about two seasons. He continued to be a valuable player for the team.
Final Season with the Virginia Squires
Adrian finished his professional career in 1971-1972. He played for the Virginia Squires in the American Basketball Association (ABA).
Life After Basketball
After retiring from basketball, Adrian Smith had a successful career in banking. He worked for Fifth Third Bank in Cincinnati for many years. He became a vice president there.
Adrian lived in Cincinnati with his wife, Paula. He was known to still own the Ford Galaxie car he won as the All-Star Game MVP! Adrian Smith passed away on April 28, 2026, at the age of 89.
Awards and Recognition
Adrian Smith received many honors for his basketball achievements:
- In 2010, the entire 1960 USA Olympic basketball team, including Adrian, was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. This is a very special honor for basketball players.
- He is also a member of the Northeast Mississippi Community College Sports Hall of Fame.
- He was also inducted into the Mississippi Community College Sports Hall of Fame.
Career Statistics
Here are Adrian Smith's basketball statistics from his professional career:
Regular Season Statistics
| Year | Team | GP | MPG | FG% | FT% | RPG | APG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1961–62 | Cincinnati | 80 | 18.3 | .405 | .775 | 1.9 | 2.1 | 7.2 |
| 1962–63 | Cincinnati | 79 | 19.3 | .443 | .811 | 2.2 | 1.8 | 8.9 |
| 1963–64 | Cincinnati | 66 | 23.1 | .406 | .782 | 2.2 | 2.2 | 9.4 |
| 1964–65 | Cincinnati | 80 | 34.3 | .456 | .830 | 2.8 | 3.0 | 15.1 |
| 1965–66 | Cincinnati | 80 | 37.3 | .405 | .850 | 3.6 | 3.2 | 18.4 |
| 1966–67 | Cincinnati | 81 | 32.5 | .438 | .903* | 2.5 | 2.3 | 16.6 |
| 1967–68 | Cincinnati | 82 | 33.9 | .464 | .829 | 2.3 | 3.3 | 15.6 |
| 1968–69 | Cincinnati | 73 | 18.3 | .432 | .807 | 1.4 | 1.7 | 9.6 |
| 1969–70 | Cincinnati | 32 | 14.2 | .405 | .867 | 1.0 | 1.4 | 5.4 |
| 1969–70 | San Francisco | 45 | 14.1 | .347 | .909 | 1.1 | 1.9 | 6.4 |
| 1970–71 | San Francisco | 21 | 11.8 | .427 | .854 | 1.1 | 1.4 | 5.3 |
| 1971–72 | Virginia (ABA) | 53 | 12.9 | .446 | .893 | .9 | .8 | 5.1 |
| Career | 772 | 24.6 | .430 | .838 | 2.1 | 2.3 | 11.3 | |
Playoff Statistics
| Year | Team | GP | MPG | FG% | FT% | RPG | APG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1962 | Cincinnati | 4 | 13.3 | .421 | 1.000 | 1.3 | .8 | 5.3 |
| 1963 | Cincinnati | 12 | 16.7 | .402 | .705 | 1.3 | 2.3 | 8.1 |
| 1964 | Cincinnati | 7 | 9.4 | .308 | .714 | 1.3 | .6 | 3.0 |
| 1965 | Cincinnati | 4 | 37.5 | .375 | .955 | 2.8 | 5.3 | 14.3 |
| 1966 | Cincinnati | 5 | 31.4 | .373 | .955* | 2.4 | 2.6 | 13.0 |
| 1967 | Cincinnati | 4 | 30.0 | .375 | .750 | 2.0 | 2.8 | 11.3 |
| 1972 | Virginia (ABA) | 11 | 27.0 | .465 | .865 | 1.7 | 1.5 | 11.4 |
| Career | 47 | 22.2 | .402 | .832 | 1.7 | 2.1 | 9.2 | |
See also
In Spanish: Adrian Smith (baloncestista) para niños
